THE TORCH:November 2003

THE BOTTOM LINE

Hugh M. Spoljaric, President

Kingston Teachers’
Federation

“FOOTPRINTS”

Over the past five years, over half of the
teachers and staff in the Kingston
schools have opted for retirement. Indeed, over the past two years alone, 140
teachers have gained tenure. The “Passing of the Torch” has been a KTF agenda
item for the past ten years. We tried to prepare for it with our New Teacher
Orientation programs and with the Mentoring program. It seems to have been a
good fit, as new teachers are inquiring with Federation representatives to
address items of contractual concern. It’s a credit to the veteran teachers
that they have assisted so well in this transition.

It is if the essence that, whether we like
it or not, we are role models. Children watch us, ask questions, and inquire.
Teachers and staff look at their colleagues for guidance. We are there to help
each other. That’s what a Federation is!It’s difficult to go it alone and there is strength in numbers. As the
French scholar Tocqueville observed, “self-interest, properly understood” but
the bottom line is the common good. So, who do you look up to? Who do we
follow?

A person who believes that we should not
teach what we do not believe is a purist. They approach life from an ideal
viewpoint, succumbing to reality on when, on balance, it is the right thing to
do to make things work. They understand that life is a compromise. They
establish personal standards and goals that are, at first, conceptual, but
workable, and, in the end, realistic and successful. And, it’s OK to alter the
focus of thinking to and be flexible, to change course, as events and
circumstances change. And, they do everything with energy, confidence, belief,
and a zest for living. As Ralph Waldo Emerson stated, “Nothing great was ever
accomplished without enthusiasm.” These people walk a pathway in life that is
imprinted with deep and meaningful footprints. The pathway is the direction,
but the footprints are the conviction and the success. It is important to leave
deep and significant footprints on our life’s pathway.

As the Fish philosophy of the Seattle Fish Market
illustrates, each day should begin with each of us setting our own attitude for
the day. Each day is another step, personally and professionally, and another
footprint. The colleagues whom we work are special and life and careers are too
short to dabble on a daily basis on the treadmill of bad attitudes. As parents,
teachers, and neighbors, we are a thread in the fabric of our domain.
Montesquieu, the French philosopher, pointed out that small communities were
the breeding ground of civic virtues and that is where democracy flourishes
best. We should not only teach democracy, we should practice it.

There will be times in life when, as we
take another step, the light in front becomes blinding and we don’t know if we
are heading toward the sunrise or the sunset. It is at that time that we cast
the longest shadow over our footprints. It is OK to stop, to wait for our
vision to clear, our shadows to fade, to retrace our steps, and to find our
direction. We look for past footprints that we can trust to lead us. And, it is
those footprints that become even deeper and more significant.

So,
try to leave deep footprints for your family, your children, and your students.
Create idealistically, implement realistically, and support each other. As
Woodrow Wilson stated, “Provision for others is the fundamental responsibility
of human life.” As pernets and teachers, that is what we ought to do.

I’m proud to be a parent and I’m proud to
be a teacher. I have the opportunity to leave deep and significant footprints.

And, that’s the Bottom Line.

KTF TEACHERS’ NEGOTIATIONS

The KTF Teachers’ Negotiating Team has met
three times to date, on September 23, October 21, and November 4, to review the
existing contract.

Future meetings are planned for every two
weeks to the end of January.

At the
meetings, the team will review the existing contract and solicit input from all
KTF committees. There will be ample opportunity for all members to offer
suggestions and input before proposals are presented.

On December 9,
the Kingston Schools will be holding a Capital Projects Bond vote. Community
informational meetings will be held throughout November and early December at
Miller, G.W., KHS, and Cioni. Check the Kingston Schools website for details.

This bond vote is a result of the findings
of the recent Collins and Scoville architectural study (2003) of the 20
buildings currently owned by the district.

Some of the findings include:

*The average age of our buildings is 57
years.

*16 of the 20 buildings (80%) are at least
40 years old.

*In ten years, 19 of the 20 buildings
(95%) will be at least 40 years old.

*Since 1971, there have been 13 additions
or renovations completed. 10 of these 13 additions or renovations (77%) are
presently 30 or more years old.

*10 of our 14 schools (71%) exceed the
SED’s recommended operating and enrollment capacity, including KHS, which has
an SED operating capacity of 1,827 students, but enrollment of 2,365.

*Several studies completed during the
previous decade suggest that there are significant structural issues found
through the district that need to be addressed as well, including, but not
limited to roofs, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, health and safety,
and inadequate infrastructure to meet technology and communication needs.

HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS TO
PONDER AND SEEK ANSWERS TO FROM THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AT THESE COMMUNITY
INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS:

1.WHAT ARE RESCUE FUNDS?? (Rebuilding Schools to Uphold Education)—(NYSED
monies for projects for the design, planning, construction, acquisition,
reconstruction, rehabilitation, or improvement of a public school building used
primarily for instruction. These projects include accessibility projects,
technology projects, health and safety projects, physical capacity expansion
projects and/or construction emergency projects.)

2.HOW MUCH MONEY DID THE STATE HAVE TO OFFER DISTRICTS? ($195 million
according to a letter sent to district superintendents dated May 30, 2000.)

3.WHEN WERE THEY AVAILABLE TO KINGSTON CITY SCHOOLS? (On or after July 1,
1998 or before July 1, 2003).

4.WERE THEY APPLIED FOR?

5.WERE THEY APPROVED?

6.WERE THEY COLLECTED?

7.HOW MUCH DID KCS EXPECT TO RECEIVE?

8.WHY WERE THESE MONIES NOT RECEIVED?

9.WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY WAS IT TO SECURE THESE FUNDS?

10.WAS IT
REPORTED AT A BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING BY A FORMER BOARD MEMBER THAT MR.
SINAGRA HAD ‘SECURED’ SUCH FUNDS?

11.HOW IS IT
POSSIBLE THAT $500,000-800,000 IN RESCUE MONEY DUE TO KCS WAS NEVER SECURED?

It appears that the RESCUE funds really
would have addressed all of the issues brought out by the recent study (and
obvious to anyone who has worked in Kingston for the past 30 years) and
requiring immediate consideration through the Bond Vote.

Oh, one more
question.

12. If the
Bond proposal is approved, is it true that the majority of the work will not
begin until 2005…7 years after the RESCUE Funds were available?

STATE
MIDDLE LEVEL EDUCATION

According to The NYSUT Leader, NYSUT is
closely watching the Board of Regents and State Education Department’s attempts
to revise the state middle level education policy. SED has directed regional
BOCES to organize public hearings this month and next to gather input from
parents, teachers, students, and others, but the formats may vary. SED has
agreed to hold one public hearing, in Albany, on November 12. Another meeting,
in New York City, is under consideration.

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP NOV. 20

The General Membership Meeting
of the KTF will be held at the KHS Cafeteria on Thursday, Nov. 20. The primary
purpose of the meeting is to elect delegates and alternated to the NYSUT/AFT
RA’s and to vote on two (2) changes in the KTF By-Laws. Specific information
was published in the October Torch.

PROPOSITION 2 FAILS

The statewide referendum to allow small
city school district, like Kingston, to increase their debt limit from 5% to
10% failed at the polls on Tuesday, November 5. Presently, all districts
smaller than a small city have the ability to retain 10% and this referendum
would have put small cities on an equal basis with those districts.

KTF President Hugh Spoljaric remarked that
“the public saw the vote as a vote against small cities to increase their debt
limit and, ultimately, to control any potential tax increases. I believe there
is a constitutional equity issue that may transcend any referendum and we’ll
have to see if that is addressed. Spoljaric added, “If the ability to provide
educational services to the students in a small city district are compromised
by funding issues, then there are equity issues.”

VOTE/COPE DEDUCTION BILL

Gov. Pataki
signed a new law that allows members of the state and city Teachers’ Retirement
Systems to make automatic contributions to VOTE/COPE through pension check
deductions. Although the KTF is now completing the 2003 VOTE/COPE Drive, the
2004 drive will make it easier for our retirees to contribute. When procedural
information becomes available, it will be communicated to members.

Don Sweeney, the Kingston Retired
Teachers’ Federation VOTE/COPE Chair, reports that early returns show an
increase of over 30% in the retiree contributions from last year.

KTF VOTE/COPE Chair Vince Voerg indicates
that complete VOTE/COPE donation numbers will be available in the December
Torch. VOTE/COPE is NYSUT’s non-partisan political action arm funded entirely
by voluntary contributions from members.

TO ALL KTF and ESP RETIREES

It’s Not Too Late!

Thanks to each of you for
your super response to the 2003 Vote/Cope Drive. As of 11/03/03, the
contributions are the best ever at $4,273.

Don’t
feel guilty. It’s not too late! Put your check in an envelope today(made out to
Vote/Cope) and mail it, along with your Vote/Cope card and Social Security
number to: Don Sweeney, 96 West Hurley Road, Woodstock, NY 12498.

ULSTER FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

Look how far we’ve come!

Ulster Federal Credit Union has been
serving school districts in Ulster County for over 60 years. Two teachers, who
conducted banking transactions out of the trunk of a car, started the credit
union. Over time, the credit union has grown into a fully operational,
innovative financial institution.

We have recently added new, time saving,
convenient products to our already lengthy list of products and services. CAR
BUYERS HELPLINE, RISK BASED LENDING and ROAD AMERICA AUTO ASSIST are products
and services we have added to our lending department. Many of you have
requested the ability to choose your own PIN for your ATM and debit cards. We
now have the capacity to make the change for you.

We have also added two electronic
services, Quick click, our online banking service and Bill Payer. Applications
for electronic services are available on our web site at www.ulsfedcu.org or in each of our three
office lobbies. Questions? (845) 339-5544.

CONDOLENCES

To: Joy and Bruce Gross on the passing of
Joy’s father; to Linda Jastings, on the passing of her father-in-law; to Fran
Kuzman, on the passing of her mother-in-law; and the KRTF reports the passing
of Getrude Dittus, Louis DiPietro, Gladys Haines, Parley Rogers, Margaret
Schwartz, and Jeanne Ryan.